Chain propulsion for boats



Dec. 19, 1961 H. F. BUcKELEw 3,013,520

CHAIN PROPULSION FOR BOATS Filed April l, 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 FHg-i Dec. 19, 1961 H. F. BucKELEw CHAIN PRoPuLsIoN FOR BOATS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April l, 1960 INVENTOR. HERBERT F.' @UC/{ELEW United States Patent 3,013,520 CHIN PRIULSIN FOR BGATS Herbert F. Buckeiew, Vallejo, Calif. (4610 Junction, Detroit 10, Mich.) Filed Apr. 1, 1969, Ser. No. 19,256 3 Claims. (Cl. 11S-63) This invention relates to a novel and improved boat having chain propulsion.

rlhe primary object of the invention is to provide a more efficient yand stab-le boat of the kind indicated, which involves `chain propellers along the sides of its hull which work through open-bottom channels or tunnels formed in the hull, inwardly of the sides of the hull, the channels having open rear ends opening through the stern of the hull.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a boat of the chanacter indicated above, capable of operation at high and low speeds, wherein the paddles on the lower or working flights of the propulsion chains are engaged in the water beneath the bottom of the hull, and outer stabilizing iins extend downwardly Vfrom the bottom at and along the outer sides of the working ights, and are supplemented by a center iin or keel on the boat bottorn.

A further object of the invention is to provide, in a lboat of the character indicated above, more eiioient, practical, and mechanically advanced propulsion chains, wherein links and paddles are readily replaced when necessary.

Other important objects and advantageous features of the invention will be apparent from the Ifollowing description and the accompanying drawings, wherein, for purposes or lillustration only, a specific form of the invention is set forth in detail.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a contracted bottom plan view of a boat of the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is la vertical longitudinal section taken on the line 2-2 of F'IGURE l;

FlGURE 3 is an enlarged vertical transverse section taken on the line 3 3 of FIGURE 2; and,

FIGURE 4 is a further enlarged fragmentary exploded perspective View showing propulsion chain structure.

Referring in detail to the drawings, wherein like numerals designate like parts throughout the several views, the illustrated boat comprises a hull 19 having a 'flat bottom wall 12 having a preferably full-length centered keel tin 14 on the bottom wall, side walls 16 which preferably cant outwardly and upwardly, a forward inclined prow 13, and a tlat straight stern 20.

Extending for a substantial portion ofthe length of the hull i0, forwardly from the stern wall 2t), is a propulsion assembly 22, which involves two similar chain tunnels 24 which are located close to but are spaced laterally inward rom related hull sidewalls 16, open through the hull bottom wall 12, -as indicated at 25, at and close to the inward sides of side tins 26 which extend downwardly from the hull bottom wall 12, and are spaced somewhat laterally inwardly from the hull sidewalls, as shown in FGUR 3. The channels 24 open, at full height, through the hull stern wall, as indicated at 28. The tops of the channels 24 are closed by hat top walls 30 extending along the upper edges of the outward and inward channel sidewalls 32 and 34, respectively. A deck 36 can extend across the hull between the hull sides and have portions which constitute the channel top walls30. Arcuate front end walls 38, which can be continuations of the top Walls 3) and curve downwardly and rearwardly therefrom, extend between the channel sidewalls 32,. 34, and terminate at their lower ends, on a level with and joined to the hull bottom wall i2, as shown in FIGURE 2.

Price Extending between the channels 24 and journalled through their sidewalls, near the forward ends of the channels, is -a transverse horizontal drive shaft 40, which is journalled lat its ends in bearings 42 mounted on the outer sides of the outer channel sidewalls 32, thrust collars 44 and 46 on the shaft being engaged with the facing sides of the channel sidewalls. A similar rear idler shaft 'd is simil-arly mounted on the channel-s 2d, close to and within the open rear ends of the channels.

Circumposed on and suitably fixed on the shafts 40 and d8, within the channels 24 and between the thrust collars 44 and 46, are forward and rear ilat cylindrical sprocket drums Si) and 52, respectively, which occupy major portions of the width of the channels 24, having flat circular rims 54 on which are xed centered, circumferentiaily spaced sprocket teeth 56. Sprocket propulsion chains S8 are trained around the forward and rear drums on the sprocket teeth.

The propulsion chains, as shown in FlGURE 4, preferably comprise pairs of elongated il-at link plates 60, having removable bolts 62 extending through openings 64 in their ends, `and intervening link blocks 66, which space the link plates 60 and entend between adjacent pairs of link plates, at their ends, the link blocks, at their ends, being journalled on related bolts 62. At equally spaced v intervals along the sprocket chains 5S, paddle assemblies 68 are mounted, which comprise elongated channel-shaped plates 70, which are long enough to subtend sevenal links of the chains 58, and have 'hat webs 72 and parallel slide flanges 74. Bolts 76 extend between the side flanges 74, at the middle thereof, through holes 77, and take the places of chain link `bolts 62, and serve to mount the paddle assemblies 68 on the outer sides of the chains 58,

l so as to pivot fand tilt, relative to the chains, `as show-n in FIGURE 2, as the chains go around the sprocket drums. It is to `be noted that the channel-shaped plates 7 t) closely rit on the chains 58 and that their side flanges 74 do not project substantially, at their free edges 76, inwardly lbeyond the inner sides of the chains 58.

As also shown in FIGURE 2, the upper and lower ilights 78 and 80, respectively, ofthe chains S8, slide supportably along and against the upper and lower horizontal walls 82 and 84, respectively, of hollow, longitudinally elongated chain supports 86, which extend between the channel side walls 32, 34 yand are xed thereto, and which reach longitudinally between the forward and rear sprocket drums 50, 52. The chain supports 6 have concave end walls 88 land 90, which are close to and are concentric with the sprocket drums 50 and S2, respectively- The lower walls 84 of the chain supports S6 are located substantially in the plane of the hull bottom wall 12.

The paddle assemblies 68 further comprise single, longitudinally centered outstanding rectangular paddle plates 92, which are wider than the channel plates 7) rand are suitably fixed thereto, and extend at right angles thereto, as shown in FIGURE 4, :and have brace blocks 94, at opposite sides thereto, which extend to the webs 72 of the channel plates 70, on which the paddle plates are suitably rigidly fixed. As shown in FIGURES 2 and 3, the paddle plates 92 have free outer edges 96 which are close to but do not reach below the preferably rounded lower edges 98 of the side tins 26 on the hull bottom 12.'

For driving the drive shaft 40 and the forward driven sprocket drums 50, la suitable motor lill? is mounted, Ias on a platform 102, at the forward ends of the channels 24, and has a short rearwardly extending shat tilt, having' a bevel pinion 106 thereon, lwhich is in mesh with a bevel ring gear 1ti8'f`1xed on the inward side of a driven sprocket Y drurn 5G. Operation of the motor lti'l in Vone direction runs the lower ights Si) of the propulsion chains 5S rearwardly along the open lower ends of the channels 24,

the channels 24, and the paddle plates 92 grip the water and supplement the rearwardly moving water in the channels 24E, for driving the boat forwardly in the water. Reversing the forward travel of the boat is done by reversing the direction of travel of the propulsion chains 58. For steering the hull 10, a preferably suspended rudder 11i) is provided, which is hinged high on the hull stern 20, above the channels 24. Steering of the hull can also be accomplished by running one propulsion chain 58, while stopping the other propulsion chain, or by running the propulsion chains in opposite directions.

It is to be observed that the presence of the side bottom fins 26, and the keel iin 14, and the location of the lower iiights of the propulsion chains 58 and their paddle plates 92 immediately at the inward sides of the side fins 26, produces a broad, rearwardly travelling stream of water, beneath the hull bottom 12, between the side ns 26 and the keel fin 14, which is confined by the side fins, and that, besides aiding propulsion of the boat, stabilizes the hull 1t) in the water, against undue tipping, and against sliding sidewise, when operated at high and low speeds.

A lifting plane or water-foil 112, spaced downwardly from the hull bottom 12, can be provided, which is connected to and extends between the side fins 26 and the keel fin 14, at a location spaced forwardly from the channels 24, and near the prow 18 of the hull, for resisting tendency of the boat to nose-down forwardly in the water, when travelling at high forward speeds.

While there has been shown and described herein a preferred form of the invention, it is to be understood that the invention is not necessarily coniied thereto, and that any change or changes in the structure of and in the relative arrangements of components thereof are contemplated as being within the scope of the invention as defined by the claims appended hereto.

What is claimed is:

1. A boat comprising a hull having a fiat bottom wall, upstanding side walls, a prow, and an upright stern Wall, said hull bottom wall having depending longitudinal side fins thereon and located close to said hull side walls, a central keel iin depending from said bottom wall and equally spaced from the side fins, said hull having longitudinal channels therein located along and spaced inwardly from the hull side walls, said channels having rear ends opening full height through the hull stern wall and open bottoms opening through the hull bottom wall, immediately at the inward sides of the side tins, said channels extending forwardly from the hull stern Wall and terminating in longitudinally spaced relation to the hull prow, forward end walls closing the forward ends of the channels, and endless propulsion assemblies located within and extending along the channels, said assemblies comprising flexible belts having upper and lower iiights having paddles thereon, the lower flights being located at the open bottoms of the channels with the paddles of the lower flights extending downwardly therefrom and downwardly from the hull bottom wall close to the inward sides of the side fins, said chains comprising spaced side links, link blocks having ends disposed between related ends of adjacent side links, bolts journalled through related ends of side links and link blocks, said paddle comprising longitudinally elongated channel plates having webs and side tianges, said channel plates being engaged over outward sides of the chains and subtending several side links and link blocks, some of said bolts being extended through openings provided in the side flanges intermediate their ends and serving as pivots for the channel plates.

2. A boat comprising a hull having a iiat bottom wall, upstanding side walls, a prow, and an upright stern wall, said hull bottom wall having depending longitudinal side tins thereon and located close to said hull side walls, a central keel iin depending from said bottom wall and equally spaced from the side fins, said hull having longitudinal channels therein located along and spaced inwardly from the hull side walls, said channels having rear ends opening full height through the hull stern wall and open bottoms opening through the hull bottom wall, immediately at the inward sides of the side fins, said channels extending forwardly from the hull stern wall and terminating in longitudinally spaced relation to the hull prow, forward end walls closing the forward ends of the channels, and endless propulsion assemblies located within and extending along the channels, said assemblies comprising iiexible belts having upper and lower flights having paddles thereon, the lower iiights being located at the open bottoms of the channels with the paddles of the lower iiights extending downwardly therefrom and downwardly from the hull bottom wall close to the inward sides of the side tins, said chains comprising spaced side links, link blocks having ends disposed between related ends of adjacent side links, bolts ljournalled through related ends of side links and link blocks, said paddle comprising longitudinally elongated channel plates having webs and side flanges, said channel plates being engaged over outward sides of the chains and subtendig several side links and side blocks, some of said bolts being extended through openings provided in the side flanges intermediate their ends and serving as pivots for the channel plates, the channel plate webs having paddle plates having inward ends fixed to the webs and free outer ends, the paddle plates being located intermediate the ends of the channel plates and disposed at right angles thereto.

3. In a boat hull having a downwardly opening longitudinal channel opening to the stern of the hull, an endless propulsion chain disposed longitudinally in said channel, said chain having alternating link blocks and links pivoted together, longitudinally spaced channel plates embracing one side of adjacent blocks and links, said channel plates having webs bearing upon the said one side of links and blocks and side flanges bearing against related sides of links and blocks, pivots traversing the side flanges, at a point intermediate their ends, and mounting the channel plates on the chain, paddle plates fixed to and extending laterally outwardly from the Webs of the channel plates, and rotary drums mounted across said channel around which the chain is engaged at opposite ends thereof.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,293,035 Christopher Feb. 4, 1919 1,565,170 Le Roy Dec. 8, 1925 1,618,574 Cooke Feb. 22, 1927 

